Burrell targets TEF
Published:Thursday | December 16, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Western Bureau:
In a bid to help offset the cost of staging next year's CONCACAF Under-17 Football Tournament, which will be staged in western Jamaica, Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) boss, Captain Horace Burrell, said he will be approaching the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) for financial assistance.
"The staging of this tournament is going to be a very expensive exercise and we are going to be needing all the financial help we can," Burrell said. "We believe this will be a case of one hand washing the other and since we will be bringing in a lot of people and filling up hotel rooms, we believe the TEF should assist us."
Based on Burrell's projections, the presence of Canada and the United States among the 12 competing teams in the finals should generate significant tourism benefits.
"This tournament is going to bring a lot of support to the sector (tourism), so I believe it is only right that the TEF should assist us," said Burrell.
However, it would appear that a direct approach to the TEF will not yield any support, as according to its chairman, businessman Godfrey Dyer, his organisation does not operate in that manner.
"The TEF doesn't support things directly, they have to go through the Jamaica Tourist Board's Events Department," Dyer pointed out. "If it is approved by them and they don't have enough money, they would come to us."
In addition to the financial support he is seeking from the tourism sector, Burrell is also hoping that football fans in the west will turn out in large numbers not only to support the local team, but also to help generate revenue.
"We are urging football-loving fans in western Jamaica to start saving towards attending the matches," said Burrell. "It is my hope that the stands will be filled for all the games."
Montego Bay Mayor Charles Sinclair is the chairman of the competition's Local Organising Committee and he, too, is expecting to galvanise support from all sectors of the western community to ensure the success of the tournament, which will run from February 14-27.
- Adrian Frater